EXSC198 Ventilatory and Lactate Thresholds

During prolonged exercise, energy is primarily derived from oxidative metabolism. For this reason, measures of the functional capacity of the aerobic energy system have gained prominence in the evaluation of endurance athletes. Over 30 years ago, the ventilatory threshold (also sometimes referred to as the ’anaerobic threshold’) was identified as an important predictor of endurance exercise performance. Thus, while maximal oxygen uptake sets the upper limit for aerobic metabolism, the ventilatory threshold is an important determinant of the maximal steady state work rate during prolonged exercise.

For this report you are required to:

1.Graph your results and identify the ventilatory threshold using the V-slope and ventilatory equivalent methods

2.Explain the metabolic rational behind the ventilatory threshold including the underlying physiological mechanisms that are thought to account for the deflection point in ventilation

3.Explain the relationship between the ventilatory and lactate thresholds and why they may appear at similar workloads during an incremental test